It was not until Spike woke up with a gross taste in his mouth that he realised he had fallen asleep there on the train to the rhythm of the wheels turning. As his eyelids fluttered open, the dragon, adjusted himself in the plush seat and turned his head to gaze out the window. The sky was grey and clouded, a far cry from the clear blue that had coloured the heavens in Ponyville that morning. Small splashes of water hit the window and bounced off, leaving droplets behind which slowly slid down the glass surface. Beyond the droplets, he could see the grassland had been replaced with rockier, more mountainous terrain as the train had gotten closer to Canterlot.

After a moment, Spike tore his eyes away from the outside, glancing up at the clock near the doors. It was nearly eleven o'clock, so they'd be in Canterlot within a few minutes. The dragon reached over to his suitcase on the seat next to him and, with a claw, pulled out a folded up piece of paper. As he unfolded the document, he smiled at the sight of a large, majestic signature written in flowing cursive script at the bottom: "With love, Rarity". Spike read once more over the unicorn's reply, ensuring that she had said that she would meet him at the station. He hoped that she'd have an umbrella.

"Attention, all passengers. We will be arriving at Canterlot Station, South in one minute. Please stay in your seats until you have been directed to stand. We thank you for your coöperation." The voice that emanated from the metal speaker in the ceiling was always the same, a low, feminine voice that was smooth yet clear. Spike wondered whether it was an actual pony who had recorded the announcements, or whether the voice had been magically generated.

This line of thought took him all the way through the train passing into the city, with crowds of ponies on either side of the train, and he hardly even noticed when the train slowed to a stop with a slight mechanical screech.

"Attention, all passengers," the voice said once more. "We have arrived at Canterlot Station, South. You may now stand and exit the train. We hope you have had a delightful ride, and we thank you for choosing Equestrian Rail."

This shook Spike to attention, and the dragon took a quick glance at the pony-filled platform outside before hopping off of the seat and snatching up his suitcase on his way to the aisle. From there, he turned right and made his way forward, only having to wait for a few ponies before he stepped off of the train and onto the solid ground of the platform.

The dragon's green eyes scanned the crowd around him as he stepped slowly forward, looking for anyone he knew. At first, all he saw were unfamiliar faces and those of a few ponies whom he had seen but whose names he didn't know. The crowd buzzed and roared around him, ponies running back and forth, having dozens of indistinguishable conversations all across the room. Behind him, there was a mechanical gasp; Spike looked over his shoulder to see the train already beginning to speed away to the mid-city station. And then...

"Spikey-Wikey! Over here!"

Her voice was unmistakeable and, as Spike turned back to look, he saw her to his left—the alabaster unicorn with a perfectly-styled mane of deep purple that curved up and down into a spiral. She stood confident, alone, by the stairs that led up and out of the station. And, as was Rarity's wont, she wore a dress.

It was not just any old dress, however, and Spike knew Rarity wouldn't have it any other way. Knowing her, she probably spent the day since she'd gotten his letter working on designing and creating the garment. As Spike neared, he marvelled at the beauty in its simplicity; the fabric was a deep purple that matched her mane to a T, and the ruffled layers billowed in the hustle and bustle of the station as ponies moved around her, giving the impression that Rarity was some sort of... beautiful spirit. Not that that was particularly far off from how Spike saw her.

Old crushes die hard. And this one, while dying, was not yet completely gone.

"G'morning, Rarity!" Spike said enthusiastically as he neared the mare. "It's great to see you again!"

"Oh, Spike!" Rarity exclaimed, reaching her hooves out to wrap Spike in a big hug, forcing him to drop the suitcase by her side. As he nuzzled his cheek against her fuzzy white fur, he noticed she smelled of carnations. It was always his favourite of her perfumes. "It's been so long, darling, but I'm so glad you've come to visit."

Spike stepped back, grinning. "Of course! I've totally been meaning to for a while, and once this thing came up... well, there wasn't any way I could not see you, y'know?"

Rarity smiled sweetly and then looked down at Spike's suitcase. "Hmm, I see."

"Huh? What?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, it's just that you take after Twilight, darling. You both pack so... light."

"Well, I just try to pack just enough for me to survive. I can do without most stuff for just a few days." Spike picked up the suitcase. "Plus I haven't got Sweetie Belle to drag all of my luggage behind me in a wagon, anyway."

Rarity tittered briefly. "Of course, of course." She turned to look at the stairs and then back down to Spike. "Well, let's go then, shall we?"

"After you, m'lady," Spike said with mock gallantry, bowing down with an arm outstretched. Rarity smiled and started walking, and Spike waited but a moment to join the mare as they weaved through the crowd of unfamiliar Canterlot ponies, ascending the stairs.

"Thank Luna you remembered to bring an umbrella." Spike looked up at the black fabric dome that Rarity was levitating over the both of them and, all things considered, she had been doing a pretty good job of keeping the rain off them.

Then, as Spike tilted his head back down, he heard and felt a splash below. The dragon clapped his claw to his face and then looked down at the puddle on the sidewalk he had just become knee-deep in. "Well, crud."

Rarity giggled. "You'd better watch out, Spikey-Wikey. The ground I can't do anything about."

Spike rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't be laughing if it were you who stepped in a puddle."

Rarity shot him a grin. "Yes, but I also don't step in puddles."

Sighing, Spike stepped out of the puddle and back onto the wet (but still drier) pavement. "So, where's Sweetie Belle?"

"She's at school, darling." Rarity didn't look at him as she replied, instead choosing to keep looking ahead. A pony clad in a bright yellow raincoat trotted by on the sidewalk, looking rather silly.

"Oh, huh. Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, right?"

"Mhmm," Rarity murmured with a nod. "Passed the entrance exam with flying colours, too. Though I suppose that the recommendation from Twilight didn't hurt either."

"Well, that's pretty cool," Spike said. "Do you think she'll...?"

"Not until after you get back from the castle, darling," Rarity replied, knowing what he was going to ask. She didn't say anything else and Spike couldn't think of anything else to say, so the two of them continued in silence through the rain down the city blocks in the direction of Canterlot Boutique.